Finals are all wrapped up and we're left yet again thinking about our college careers. I am pretty sure we can all agree that if we are paying $40k a year for college, we want to make it count. So, what exactly do we mean by "make it count?" For intents and purposes let's lump "making it count" into one broadly applicable and highly desirable word: success. Ah, success. What a sweet thing it is, but the road to it is often not so sweet, right? After all, if something is truly worth it, it won't be easy. With that, I have compiled a list of things I believe truly represent the great and wonderful achievement of "success" in college.
1. Have you learned about yourself and grown as a person?
If you can answer that question with a "yes," then you have absolutely been successful in college. This is a time when we are put into a strange place with stranger people and are expected to find our place. One way or another, this inevitably happens, and we begin to shape into who we will be for the rest of our lives. Scary, right? Congratulations on such success; this is perhaps the most important of all!
2. Have you experienced a moment where someone saw something in you that you never thought possible to see in yourself?
So this kind of piggy-backs off the last, but it's a little too important to breeze over. Honestly, though, this can be a friend, professor, random student, a child you're volunteering with or some other person, literally anybody. This is an important aspect to consider as you determine your success in college because it is an eye-opener and incredibly empowering.
3. How about a moment where you saw something in yourself that you never thought to be possible?
If you're answering "yes," congratulations! I am really proud of you. You are seeing your potential and your worth, you are confident and you are seeing why this world is limitless. I think our own power and potential both scare us.
4. Have you gotten involved on campus?
People preach this but it is so true. Involvement is key; it gives great experiences that can only be built on moving forward. That's really all there is to it.
5. We're all thinking it ... GPA.
I suppose I should address this eventually, eh? This is absolutely an important measure of success; however, do not let it rule your life. It is healthy to let the academics rest for an hour or two while you make dinner, or even for the night so you can unwind. The biggest things are prioritizing, efficiency and productivity. With these you'll surely have plenty of time for that weekend trip or heading out for the specialty nights of wings or long islands while keeping your GPA up there.
6. Have you formed new habits?
This one may seem a little wonky, but try to compare yourself now to your freshmen self; do you see a habitual difference? It can be any habit that you feel betters your life and helps bring you to the next step. Food for thought here; give it a whirl.
7. Relationships.
Here's the big one. At some point or another those strangers will turn into family. The nights you plan to call early will turn into five a.m. and laughter. You'll begin to wonder how you ever lived without these people before. This is one of the greatest measures of success in college because you've developed friendships that will last a lifetime. Don't let go of them.
Success in college is extremely important, of course, but it is equally important to remember there are several different ways by which success can be measured. If you're serious about success in college you'll find a way to make it work, and if not, you'll find an excuse. Don't find excuses.
